might he see a Monky with an Ape Climing a tree and cracking of a Nut One sparrow teache an other how to gape But not a tame one taught to keepe the cut And many a lacke daw in his foolish chat while parets prated of they knew not what But when shee saw humilities affection wonne from the world to seeke for heauenly fauour And that the soule by wisdome â—…ound direction In sacred flowers should finde the sweetest sauour Shee raisde him vp and badde him there receiue The true delightes should not the soule deceiue When lifted vp by that faire hande of loue That brought the hart an vnknowen happines And euery seruant sweetly did approue A blessing in their Masters blessednes with silent thoughtes they humbly did attende The words that did their comfort comprehende Poore wretch quod shee thy faithfull patient hart the highest powers in pitty doe regarde where true repentance pleades for no desart But bounties grace where mercy giues rewarde The heauens haue harde thy humble happy praier To helpe thy hope and keepe thee from despaire The labour that thy loue hath tane in hande Thy trauaile minding neuer to retire The happy staie whereon thy hope doth stande where humble praier but pitty doth aspire Haue got thee grace in mercies glorious eies To finde the path that leades to paradise This is the 〈◊〉 that patience onely treades where life doth goe on pilgrimage to loue whose humble hart the holy spirite leades vnto the height of blessed hopes behoue whom graces garde till perils al be past And faith resolu'de doe finde her rest at last Since thou hast scapte the vaunt of Venus vaine And not presumde Diana to approch Since Flora coulde no further fauour gaine Nor Ceres coulde thy carefull thought encroch Since fooles and deuils all are driuen awaie Bide but a night and thou shalt see the daie Since thou hast scapte the way of wretchednes where shameles mindes to shamefull shapes are turned And founde the waie of fairest blessednes where hart enflamde with vertues fire hath burned Keepe on the path and turne on neither side Grace to thy hope will be a happy guide Thinke it not longe to cumme to heauen at last Nor linger time to hinder happy speede Feare not the sunne though skies be ouercast And let a candell stande the night in steede So marke the light that liues in vertues eies And loue shall leade thee straight to paradise Feare not the foes nor forces thou shalt meete For thou shalt meete with monsters many a one But faith resolu'de treds fortune vnder feete where vertue comes will vices all be gone Hell cannot hurt whom heauenly powers defend where grace begins hope makes a happy end Lo neere at hand he that would hurt thee most An ougly Monster full af all corruption By whose illusion many soules haue lost Their liuely hopes by lowdenes interruption A Lier Theife and master of all evill The sier of sinne the fiendâ—… of hell the deuill Seauen are his heades as many are his tailes Ecâ—… head a tongue and every taile a sting And woe to them with whom his tongues prevailes within the compase of his tails to bringe But skorne his wordes or quite him with disgrace and thou shalt kill or make him fly the place His body is the very sinke of sinne Into which hole all hellish filth doth runne A plague of pride presumption did beginne An endles plague that was in pride begunne where every head the body standes in steed with poisoned soules the filthy paunch to feede His swordes are wordes with which he is to fight whose forces can but faithles hartes offende For if hee looke but once at vertues light He faintes for feare and feeles his forces ende But heare him speake and neuer feare his spight when vertue laughes at vanities delight His greatest head and that doth gape most wide Is proude Ambition swallowing worldly wealth which faithles soules infectes with filthy pride Killing the spirit for the bodies health Vpon which head he beares a triple crowne That Vertue sees is neere his tumbling downe In which great head his tongue is all vntruth Lies to bewitch the worlde vnto his will The ease of Age and high conceit of youth are greatest groundes of his vngratious skil To gouerne states is such a stately thinge what slaue is he that would not be a king And thus the villaine would the world perswade To prowde attemptes that may presume to high But earthly ioies wil make him proue a â—…ade when vertue speakes of loues diuinity where humble hart doth to that heauen aspire where is no place for any proude desire The seconde heade is wicked avarice Choking it selfe with trash in steade of treasure whose tongue is treason that can best deuise To hurte the spirite with the bodies pleasure But talke of vertues ioie in Misery And he wil pine to death in penury The thirde foule head is filthy Gluttony Deuouring more then it can well disgest Leading the harte to loathsome villany And of a man doth make an ougly beaste But answere him with fasting and with praier The very wordes will kill him with their aier The fourth bad head is beastly slothfulnes Sleeping and snorting like a filthy swine Loosing the time in loathsome Idlenes Dreaming of that which neuer was diuine But answere him with vertues carefull watching He faintes and falls to finde his ouermatching The fifte vile heade is filthy lechery which leades the hart to hateful wickednes His tongue a forge of fancies treachery To bring the soule to all vnhappines But answere him with vertues chaste desire And he will bite his very taile for ire The sixte is enuy full of malice fraught Feeding on Snakes that faine would vertue stinge which where they finde their forces come to nought Into his mouth they backe their poison bring But say how patience leades to paradise He frets and fumes and in impatience dies The seuenth is murther most accursed head whose tongue is blasphemy all dide in blood which with the harts of harmeles creatures feade Lappes in the broath of an Infernall foode But saie how vertue doth for vengeance crie And dead he falles or els awaie doth flie Now beare these heauenly lessons all by harte And take these bookes to benefite thy minde In each of which is hidde a secret arte whose proper vse maie profite in his kinde But chiefly doe this holly booke peruse where speciall comfortes maie thy spirit chuse When hauing giuen into his humble hande Seuen sundry bookes whereonto vse his wit And last the staie whereon the state did stande Of happy life where heauenly loue doth sit The holy booke of vertues blessed vaine Home shee returnes vnto her heauen againe Which when the pilgrime humbly did beholde Carying in minde the comforts of his hart which to his faith her fauour did vnfolde To keepe the soule from an Infernall smart Against the fury of this fiende of hell Onwardes he goes God speede
in my sinnes I die For still the flesh is subiect to offende while yet the spirit groneth for thy grace But thou hast power the weakest to defende That vnto thee reueale their heauy case Then from that hande and mighty arme of thine Strengthen this weake wounded soule of mine Thou that hast saide prowde Esaw was thy hate And humble Iacob was thy chosen loue That dost the power of worldly pride abate And workst the heauen of humble hartes behoue Make Esawes life with lacobs loue agree Or kill the flesh the soule maie liue with thee And from despaire that poisned sting of death Deliuer lorde the sorrowes of desire And at the latest houre and gaspe of breath Let humble hart the hope of heauen aspire where faithfull soules maie in thy fauour see That onely loue doth onely liue in thee What booteth me the world for to possesse And want the iewell of my heauenly ioie what earths delight but is to me distresse when natures health doth proue the soules anoye No my sweete loue let this poore soule of mine Neuer haue life but in that loue of thine One precious droppe of thy pure oile of grace Power downe sweete loue into my wounded hart And to my faith so turne thy louing face That from thy fauour I maie neuer part Looke on thy Mary with her bitter teares That washt thy feete and wiptethe with her heares The greater depts forgiuen the greater loue Thy worde hath saide and it saies euer true when patience life in pitties loue doth proue In greatest mercy greatest glory grue where one mans sinne procured all mens paine And one mans grace gaue all men life againe Oh high creator of all creatures liuing who nothing wantst that all thinges dost possesse what hath the world that may be worth the giuing Vnto the honor of thy holines But onely thankes that thy true spirit moueth In that true hart that thy true mercy loueth But still I see my loue is sore displeasde And tels me of my great vngratefulnes when so my soule with sorrow is diseasde As in my hart findes nought but hatefulnes And with the teares of true repentance crieth Lorde saue the life that in thy mercy lieth For thou art loue the euerliuing God And onely God and onely of the liuing who though thou smitst thy children with thy rod Sweete is the care of thy corrections giuing In which thy sweete and kindest care correct me But in thy mercy neuer doe reiect me Let neuer death against thy life preuaile Nor euer hate once looke against thy loue Nor faithfull hope thy heaunly fauour faile But harts contrition happy comfort proue And let the soule euen at the dore of death Liue by the aiâ—…r but of thy heauenly breath Mine eâ—…es are dimme my flesh bare skin and bone My sinewes shroncke and all my limmes are num Mine eares are deafe but to the sound of mone My speech is but to sorrow stroken dum My bloode dried vp my hart with sorrow soken Oh helpe the soule before the heart be broken Behold the sorrowes that my soule doeth make And see what torments teare my heart a sunder where euery teare doth other ouertake where fearefull care puts faithfull comforts vnder Oh my sweete life though I be deadly wounded Let not my faith be vtterly confounded And Since oh king that thou art onely able To helpe the helples onely but in thee And by one crumme from thy true mercies table The wofull soule may well relieued be Of that sweete foode oh let my faith so tast That by thy loue my life may euer last What life is this that wretches here we leade Caring and carking for our fleshly liues Neuer wel fild when we are too much fedde where strange conceits for true contentment striues Tearing our harts and tiring out our mindes For that in fine which but repentance findes Where kindnes proues a kinde of leude conceite Leading the heart to lothsomnes of loue while wisest wits on wanton humours waite And wilfull fancies doe but follies proue where power pride so plage the world with woes That peace and vertue all to ruine goes Where gold is helde a God siluer a Saint And durt and drosse are dearest in regarde where frendship failes and faith beginnes to faint And curses rule while blessed thoughts are barde And all and some doe in conclusion proue wo to the world that liues not by thy loue Where valure proues but foolish hardines And greatest wit is wicked wilines And honour gotten by vnworthines Fils all the world with all vnhappines while vertue sighes at sinners wickednes And Angels mourne for our vngodlines Where parents grieue at childerns stubbornes And children smile at parents childishnes where masters sigh at seruants idlenes And seruants laugh at masters wantonnes while faithfull soules in sorrowes wretchednes Looke but in heauen to haue their blessednes Where subtle heads are simple harts illusion while Tyraunt thoughts vniustly make intrusion And outward shewes are inward thoughts allusion while strange delightes are strong desires delusion And heedles care doeth make vp this conclusion That lacke of grace is all the worlds confusion Where brightest truth by treason often blamed is VVhile faithles hart with falshood all enflamed is And carefull age with sorrow all ashamed is That careles youth so long at large vntamed is That where good nature all alas misnamed is The faith of honour vtterlie defamedis VVhere sore deâ—…aies the care of true Gentility And strong disquiet standeth for tranquility And vertue is of too much imbecility where faith is found but ful of al fragility when honors loue that liues by hopes humility Must walke among the beggars for ability Oh wicked fruit of woful hearts affection when once the soule is toucht with sins infection And wil not learne by care of thy correction To leade a life but by thy loues direction where in the fire of thy bright sunnes reflexion They maie behold the height of their perfection But what is Earth and what but earth are we A goodly brag begunne and endes in dust where old young all the world may see From whence we came and whetherto we must Short time we liue no sooner dead then rotten And scarce welburied but wee are forgotten Oh Lord thou knowest this world is all but wo where sinne doth seeke to get the vpper hand The flesh would faine the spirit ouerthrow But that her stay doth in thy mercy stand But since the soule may conquer sinne by thee Lord let thy mercy onely sight for me Let me but looke vpon thy holie loue And sucke my honie from that heauenlie hiue wherein my soule such sweetnes maie approue That with that foode shee maie for euer liue And feeding so vpon thy sacred will when shee is fedde yet maie shee hunger still Oh bring me home that long haue beene abroade And leade me streight that long haue gone astraie And raise me vp that haue beene ouertroade And
neuer to returne There did appeare a light of little worth A mocking loie whose end was but to morne Vpon the left hand of this selly creature Venus faire painted with her finest feature Who wanting nothing that might wel adorne A cunning dame to compasse her desire with looke askaunce as if shee had in scorne A meaner hope them might a heauen aspire with straunge deuises of a world of toies would stoppe his passage to his further loies And vp shee standes a tipto in her state As if the earth too base were for her feete with such a glaunce as if shee had in hate That lesse then Monarches should her presence meete when with such smiles so neare this walke she went As made them wonder what the vision ment When he that first had taken charge to view What might their trauaile hinder or auaile Finding that in his sight a dimnes grew whereby the cleerenes of his sence might faile Feeling the humor grow vnto an Itche Beganne to feare the wonder was a witch VVhen of the sodaine holding vp his hande Betwixte his sight and this same perlous thing Hauing no leasure on his thoughtes to stande what issue would of this ill humor spring wente on alonge and kepte his walke aright Vntill this vision vanisht out of sight VVhen on the right hand fourthwith did appeare Diana shee of whom the poets writ A dame of state yet with such smiling cheere As shewd where kindenes did with honor sit who with her nimphes appareld all in white Did seeme to pure an obiect for his sight VVhen fearing that the poets did not faine That did set forth Diana for diuine when in her Beauty was so bright a vaine As seemde that Phoebus on her face did shine Betwixt his sight and this conceiued sunne Helde vp his hande ere any hurte was donne And thus betwixt first Venus then Diane Onwardes he goes his right intended way And noting well what he had vndertane And that a stoppe might cause to longe a staie Keeping the path looking on neither side He followes on his best beloued guide When walking on his hoped happy way Vpon the left hande rose a sodaine sounde which might haue beene a most vnhappy staie But that a sodaine remedy was found For he that knew her Musicke was a charme His hearing stopt for feare of further harme And this was he that had the charge to heare And harken soundly to each secret sounde what noise might not by any meanes cum neare And where the Muses soone woulde be a ground who hauing heard but how her harpe was stronge would not vouchsafe the hearing of her songe But when shee saw how hardly shee was vsed Her Beauty first barde from the walke of blisse And then her Musicke so in skorne refused As idle noise wherein no honor is Awaie shee went all angry as shee was And left the poore man oâ—… his waie to passe When one the right hand of the sodeine rose An other sound but of a deeper sweete Where sure Diana with her Nimphes had chose The ground of grace where all the Muses meete To shew the world the heauenly harmony VVhere Nightingales doe make a company VVhen hee that heard the sweetnes of the sound Fearing what hurt might quickly growe vpon it If once his Muse vnhapply might be drownde In worldes delight ere wit had ouergonne it The hearing stopt of his vnworthy sence Of such a sound of such an excellence But when Diana plainly gan to find That one of all the world had warning tooke For comming neere vnto Acteons kinde And that her siluer sound was so forsooke Away shee went but yet with this sweet blessing Vertue is plac'd where pride may not be pressing VVhen these were gon that might haue stoptâ—… his waie Had he not kepte the course of better care A new devise againe to breede his staie Came Flora forth with all his fairest ware Laying abroad the wardâ—…ope of her wealth Her fairest flowers and â—…ittest herbes for health But he that had the charge to take the sente Of euery sauoure both the sower and sweete Knowing what best might comforte or contente How weedes were all to tread but vnder feete The hoâ—…some sauoure to his seruice vsed And faire flourd weedes as poison foule refused But when that Flora saw her great disgrace VVithered with griefe she shrunke into the ground And as it seemed displeased with the place For that so little fauour their she found She lets him goe vntill anone he met An other Lady with another let And this was she of whom the Poets writ Ceres the Princes of the Pesaunts treasure VVho both fortast and eke for hunger fit Did onely worke but for the bellies pleasure VVho with a cornu copia sweetely dight would staie the spirit with the flesh delight But he that had the charge to take a tast Of every fruit whereon they were to feede what soone would rot and what would longest last And what would proue the sweetest foode indeede Vpon his lippe his little finger plas't As if her gift were vtterly disgras't Not that the present seemed of no price But that their comforts were of other kinde And that God wot it was a base deuise with belly pleasures to abuse the minde which Ceres seeing parted in a rage And left the pilgrime to his pilgrimage Which selly creature softly going on Encountred with more crosses then before A world of fooles and deuils many a one In shape of men in shape and somewhat more which labourd sore to make some stoppe or stay To hinder loue in hitting vertues waie But he whose charge was charily to feele what grounde was best to grounde his footing on spurnde with his toe and kickt of with his heele Their stumbling stones till all the stops were gone which when they saw his blisse they could not balke They tanne away and left him to his walke By which good howre when heauens had happly tried How constant care his passage truely past And in the harte no vile desire did bide while patient will was with discretion plac't They rockt the rules of natures sence asleepe while Angels songs the soule did waking keepe But waking wit that had no will to rest Till ioie might come vnto her iourneies sende And that the spirit was not fully blest Till humble faith might see her heauenly friende Awakte this pilgrime from his pensiue vaine And set him sweetely on his waie againe When passing on they fell into a wood A thicket full of brambles thornes and briers A graceles groue that neuer did man good But wretched sendinges of the worldes desires where Snakes and Adders such venuâ—…d things Had slaine a number with their cruell stinges Some Metamorphosde like Acteon were Diana smiling at their lewde desires Some Semitawres and some more halfe a Beare Other halfe swine deepe wallowing in the miers All beastly mindes that could not be reformed were to the shapes of their owne shame transformed There
the head with anger seemde to swell Like an Aposthume of a poisoned wounde which breaking inwarde of the sodaine shroncke Into the body oh most beastly troncke The heade of pride thus suddainely consumde Or shroncke into this filthy sincke of sinne The second head foule Auarice presumde with wicked wordes the miser mindes to winne Ah begger worme and needy wretch quod he what dost thou thinke that will become of thee Hath patience bred in thee this poore conceite That colde and hunger be thy harts content Doest thou not see how manie thousandes waite In honors fielde vpon the golden tente Or knowest thou not power wisedome wit and pleasure All haue their Essence in the golden treasure What face so faire that is not grac't in golde what wit of worth but hath in golde his wonder what learning but with golden lines doth holde what state so high but gold will bring him vnder what thought so sweete but gold doth better season And what rule best but in the golden reason Be lorde of landes and cram thy chest with coine Feare nought but neede mony will make a friende Let conscience learne the cunning to purloine wit without welth hath but a wofull ende The golden scepter and the golden crowne Doth make the subiect on his knees come downe The grounde is fat that yeeldes the golden fruite The study high that hits the golden state The labour sweete that gets the golden suite The reckning right that makes the goldeÌ„ rate The hap is sure that golden hope doth holde And rich is gaine that serues the god of golde And with that worde the wicked thing did cease when presently the pilgrime thus replied Oh cursed cancker crosse of conscience peace whose hatefull harte doth all ill humors hide Thou kindling cole of an Internall fire Die in the ashes of thy dead desire Impatient spirite liuing all by spoile Drunke like the dropsy and yet euer drye Consumde with care and tired out with toyle Seeminge to liue and yet dost ever die How duâ—…st thou so the name of god blaspheme To giue to drosse so great a Diademe Thou stone-colde hart with hungriâ—…g after coine My care in heauen doth seeke my hartes content Thou scrapst for pelfe I seeke not to purloine In vertues field I seeke but mercies tent When wisdome findes in power of highest pleasure The world al trash compard to heauenly treasure Fowle is the faire that hath her gold in grace worthines the wit that hath in wealth his wonder vnlearned liues put gold in honors place wicked the state that will to coine cume vnder Base the conceite that seasonde is with golde And begger rules that such a reason holde Thou plodst for landes I seeke a liuing place Thou fearste but neede I mony make no friâ—…de Thy conscience cunning and my care is grace Thy wits welth wo my harts wish heauen at ende Thy golde is drosse and vertue is my crowne where hartes submission puls ambition downe Earth giues thee golde heauens giue me higher grace Men study wealth but Angels wisedomes state Laboure seekes pence loue hath a higher place Death makes thy reckening life is all my rate Thy happe is hell my hope of heauen doth holde God giue me grace die deuill with thy golde And with that worde the head beganne to shrincke The face dead pale and hollow grew the eies And so at laste did all and wholy sincke Into that hell that heade of Auarice when vp did start the heade of Gluttonie Vomiting out theese wordes of villany Poore 〈◊〉 begger whereon dost thou feede well fare the mouth that feedes the belly full what staruing humor standes thy wit insteede The want of victuaile makes the body dull I finde it true no triumph to a feast the belly full the bones will be at rest Some feede their eies withstaring on the starres And starue the body to content the minde Some with their wittes will be so long at warres They grate on crusts when other men haue dinde But let the franticke so their humor please Giue me the life of meate and drinke and ease VVhen that the earth doth giue vs pleasing foode what reason is it nature shoulde refuse it If reason finde what wil doe nature good what bootes to haue it if we doe not vse it Then let me feede while I haue power to eat The mouth was made to giue the body meat Oh when the tongue is pleased with a tast The stomacke feeds vntil the hart do laugh And then a cuppe with a carowsing cast And then a health out of a frindely quaffe Then workes the braine in such a blessed wise As if the body were in paradise VVhen thinking more to speake his mouth ranne ouer with beastly humors loathsome to beholde And in such sort as he coulde not recouer Till that he did his filthy sence vnfolde when stopping so the pilgrime gan replie Die ougly venum in thy villany Thou filthy fat and ouerfoggy flesh Foule bagpipe-cheekes eies starting from the head whom heauenly humors neuer can refresh That all in hel hast made thy hateful bedde Heauens let me fast from such a loathsome feast where to much feeding makes a man a beast Earth fill thine eies heauens feede my humble hart Drosse fil thy belly Grace content my minde Of worldly lunckets take thy pleasing part Grace giue my soule one crum I haue dinde So with thy frensies doe thy fansie please Heauens be my rest whom earth can neuer ease Earth feedes of earth heauens giue the spirit foode Nature corrupted lost the key of reason The body knowes not of the spirits good Vse is abuse where truth is â—…aust with treason Then role and tumble in thy beastly â—…iot The dish of mercy be my spirits diet Oh when the tongue is toucht with cruel fire The stomacke feedes of an infernal flame A cuppe of coles to quench a foule desire A cureles hatt consuming in the same Then workes the spirit with such woful cries As proues in hel was neuer paradise When this same filthy hedde of Glotony Beastly bedight with his abhorred diet Choked with venum of such villany As breedes the ground of natures most disquiet Soncke backe into the belly of the beast which of such spirites made his speciall feast When started vp the head of slouthfulnes with ougly clawes picking his gummy eies who with the noddes of natures he uines Did in few wordes this filthy speech deuise what humor wretch doth thee so waking keepe That thou canst feede vpon so little sleepe Sleepe is the pride of ease the height of pleasure The Nurse of nature and the rule of rest The thoughtes attonement and the sences treasure The bedde of loue that likes the body best Against vnrest the only remedy And onely medicine to ech mallady And therewithall vnwilling more to speake Such heauy qualmes his harte had ouercome with stretching yawnes as if his Iawes would breake Hee stopt his speech as wholy stroken dumme when nodding